[thackney]

this has been a fun argument

I still have not figured out what you think we are arguing about. My purpose for posting the article was not just for you. Have a great day. I paid $1.72 a couple days ago.

[optiguy]

I keep hearing people outside of the energy sector cheering the low price of gas as a windfall to the economy. I have a few observations I'd like your take on when convenient;

When those great paying jobs (75k or better is not uncommon in this industry) go away, so does the money derived from mostly non-government sources. This leads to an absence of private money being replaced with tax/public money for things like unemployment benefits and entitlement programs many of the former employees will move to. As a result, the cheap gas prices may leave more money in some people's pockets but that will be short lived as they see a general slow down in the economy.

The people on subsidized living will benefit the most as they see a cut in expenditures for every day living cost but the private sector will suffer more as the many tens of thousand of jobs related to energy are no longer there to buy homes, cars, electronics and so on. That will have a ripple effect on other private businesses.

In other words, I see a lot of our economy driven by the private sector moving to more government driven sector. I'm writing this on my phone so it's probably not as well said as I'd like.

[Texas Eagle]

Whoa! According to that chart you provided, it shows that CAT stock was at 78.00 in Jan. 2008 and by Jan. 2009 it had dropped to 25.00!

But then look what happens. It goes back up. Right now, even at 86.00 it's higher than it was in Jan. 2009.

CAT Interactive Stock Chart